Title: Human Demons

By: Yukito Kinomoto

Rated: Pg-13 for violence and maybe some language.

Summary: Kagome and Inuyasha have another fight, but this time IY leaves and is nowhere to be found. A new moon is coming and Kagome, Miroku and Shippo are worried about him the half-demon, who in the mean time has run into his brother and Naraku. But Inuyasha's the hero, he can't die...right?

Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi owns all, I make no profit off of them.

Chapter 1 the argument

The night was perfect for sleeping and that's just what the company was doing. All but Kagome that is. She sat on a rock and stared up at the sliver of waning moon that shone like one of the priceless Shikon shards. The jewel was only part of the girl's worry, the other part was currently wrapped in his red robes, orange eyes closed, peacefully sleeping.

She studied his back in the dancing light of their fire. She could just glimpse a tuft of red hair on Inuyasha's other side. She knew that was Shippou, the fox demon, curled against the larger male.

Kagome glanced over at Miroku. The monk lay on his back, his hands clasped restfully on his stomach. His normally intense face was still and relaxed, he looked like a small boy.

She smiled quietly to herself. What an odd bunch they must look.

A perverted, but kind monk, a spirited little fox demon, a cowardly flea, a human woman and...she sighed, a half-demon. Inuyasha was the only one who totally drove her insane and the only one who made her heart beat faster just by smiling at her.

"Girl you got it bad," she said to herself.

Her crush wasn't the problem. At least not directly. She frowned, it was time to have a serious chat with the white haired boy...man...demon.

She sighed again and walked over to Inuyasha's sleeping form. As she crouched down beside him, she could feel the heat from the fire on her back.

"Inuyasha?" she whispered.

Kagome saw the one cute dog ear in view give a small twitch and then he rolled over on to his back, still fast asleep. She felt a blush rise to her cheeks. He looked so innocent and peaceful that he almost seemed...well...beautiful. She picked up a long strand of silky silver hair and stroked it gently.

"Inuyasha? Are you asleep?" she didn't want to wake Shippou so she kept her voice quiet.

This time both ears turned toward her and the sleep blurred eyes opened half-way. "I was." He yawned and she glimpsed the sharp canine fangs. She suddenly realized how powerful he really was, and was surprised that it scared her.

He blinked his feral eyes at her, "What's wrong? Kagome, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she let his hair go and backed away from him as he sat up.

"Kagome look out, the fire..." he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms as she barely missed falling into the small fire.

She held her fists against his chest, but her head lay just under his neck and she could hear his heart thumping slowly and rhythmically against her face.

"Uhhh..." she ventured.

"What's wrong with you anyway? You could have fallen in you know. And then what would I have done?"

She could hear her own heart pounding in her ears and she knew some of it was genuine fear of the beast that held her so gently in his powerful arms. Arms that could kill her with out a moments notice.

He pushed her gently away, "Why'd ya wake me up anyway?"

"I uh, wanted to ask you something," she said not looking him in the eye.

"Yeah, what is it?"

She rose, "Can we go on a walk? I don't want to wake the others."

"Sure."

She dug in her backpack and pulled out her flashlight. Inuyasha was to tired to find it interesting. They didn't walk very far before Kagome stopped and sat down on a boulder. He placed himself on the ground at her feet and she put the flashlight down by him, on it's handle, so they could see each other. Then she gave voice to the thought that had been plaguing her.

"After we collect all the pieces of the jewel. Will you hate me again?"

"What are you babbling about now?"

"I mean, when we first met and I had the whole jewel you were ready to kill me for it. Are you still ready to do that Inuyasha? Because even with that command necklace around your neck I don't think I could keep it from you forever."

His orange eyes narrowed in anger and disbelief, but to his credit he said nothing and let her continue.

"And what if you do become a demon with it? Or even a human? You'll be different from who you are now and I like who you are now."

His top lip rose and he bared his fangs, "You don't know me! What are you saying? That I would kill you? Feh! You're even stupider than I thought."

"Inuyasha I'm being serious."

"So am I," he growled jumping to his feet. "If our friendship has meant that little to you, and if you were that afraid that I'd betray you, why haven't you killed me?"

"I couldn't even if I wanted to. You're too strong."

She felt her heart give a tug as tears came into his eyes, "If I'm that much of a threat to you I wish you'd kill me. I don't want you to get hurt Kagome. Strangle me, right now, I won't struggle. Shoot me with an arrow. Kill me! I'd rather be dead anyway."

The tears began to stream down his cheeks as he turned away from her.

"Inuyasha..."

He looked at her over his shoulder, "Do you know how hard it is for a Half-breed to find someone to even talk with? Do you have any idea what it was like growing up and having normal mothers pull their children away from you, for fear you'd hurt them, when all you wanted to do was play? I thought you understood me Kagome. I thought you knew. I guess I was wrong." He ripped the Tetsusaiga off his belt and threw it into the dirt at her feet. "Good riddance."

"Inuyasha wait!"

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

She couldn't see him in the dark, but could hear the pain in his words, "Yeah, so am I." Then he was gone into the night.